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2010-11 Adventures  
We lead outings throughout the year in some of the finest country on the planet. Here are some of the highlights: GRAND CANYON TRIPS We will be offering Grand Canyon treks throughout the school year, including many overnight and multi-day trips below the rim. There is not another adventure for students like spending a night in the depths of Grand Canyon. We want to make this adventure a reality for as many Navajo Nation students as we possibly can. We provide all gear, food and trip leaders for the outings. Y.E.S. offers challenging treks for fit hikers to explore below the rim of Grand Canyon in the spring, fall and winter seasons. These extraordinary treks incorporate a look at Canyon geology, wildlife & vegetation, the arts, nature journaling and wilderness studies. Indian Gardens and Phantom Ranch - We do most of our overnight trips in the "corridor", which include challenging routes and some basic services along maintained trails. Campsites at Bright Angel Campground (at the Colorado River) and Indians Gardens are most common on these itineraries. These hikes provide a chance to experience the full rim-to-river experience while enjoying fairly comfortable campsites, complete with ample water sources and restrooms or pit toilets. These trips can be two or three day trips, with fall and winter itineraries providing a sense of solitude that is unique to this season. Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Backpacking Adventure - The rim-ro-rim route provides a total Canyon experience, leading hikers from the 8,000-foot spruce and aspen forest of the North Rim into the Canyon on the North Kaibab Trail. The route traverses the Colorado River at Phantom Ranch before heading through the Inner Gorge and out to the south rim via the Bright Angel Trail. This three-day trek is for the most fit backpackers only. Havasupai Backpacking Trip - Enjoy a moderate trek to Supai, the native village nestled in the depths of Grand Canyon, that is home to some of the most magical waterfalls on the planet. The trip will explore Havasu, Navajo and Mooney Falls, and enjoy a visit with some Supai students in the village. We generally do our Supai trips in the spring months. Horseshoe Mesa - We have done multiple trips to Horseshoe Mesa since our first sojourn there in 1997. The short but rugged Grandview Trail leads to one of the Canyon's most scenic campsites. This is an excellent two-day trek, with time to explore the Cave of the Domes and Miner's Springs. Tonto East/South Kaibab - This is an amazing route that gives hikers a unique Grand Canyon experience, including a visit to the Colorado River and a campsite in a very remote region of the Canyon. We set basecamp on the Tonto East, just off the South Kaibab Trail and then explore the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch from there. While the campsite is fully dry and totally rustic, the vistas from camp are amazing! Wilderness Routes - There are some extraordinary routes that we explore occassionally with strong groups of students. Hermit, Clear Creek, New Hance, Tanner, Escalante and Tonto West are some of the routes that are awaiting hearty hikers.
Grand Canyon Music Festival Y.E.S. has been sponsoring weekend outings to the Grand Canyon each September since 1993. It's a great time of the year for some modest hiking, fine fall camping and amazing music at the Grand Canyon Music Festival. Groups of Festival musicians have also enjoyed reservation visits, sharing music, hikes and meals with rez kids. The Festival is a great family outing and Y.E.S. can help coordinate the trip logistics for school groups on any of the Festival's three weekends.
TOUR DE REZ The Tour de Rez is the event where it all began for Y.E.S. It started as a grueling, two-week journey around the vast Navajo Nation in 1991, and has evolved into an annual experience that offers education in the field in native history, local geography, culture, fitness and nutrition. The Tour serves as a fabulous alternative summer school experience for schools looking to incorporate the basics of language, science and math in a creative format. The program can be structured from several days to one, two or more weeks. (More details on the Tour de Rez section of the website)
CHUSKA CHALLENGE The Chuska began in 1995 as a benefit ride for Y.E.S. and continues today as a fabulous blend of autumn riding, stunning scenery and great activities. The Chuska today includes both youth and adult riders, which allows young riders the chance to interact with some very strong adult riders from throughout the region. Live music, engaging presentations, cool videos and special activities for school groups throughout the weekend make it an excellent learning experience for students. See the 'Chuska Challenge' section on the Home Page for more details about this event.
'It was amazing to see so much positive energy caught up in the swirl of three days. We all got so much. Thanks.' - Chuck, participant in Y.E.S. outing
RAINBOW BRIDGE & NAVAJO MOUNTAIN Rainbow Bridge Backpacking & Trail Maintenance - The Rainbow Trail on the western flank of Navajo Mountain leads to Nonnezoshe, Rainbow Bridge, the largest stone bridge in the world. The trek, which is usually done during the spring or fall months, includes some modest trail work, some of the most stunning campsites in the region and a sampling of Dine' history from the area. Some of our Rainbow trips culminate with a boat journey across Lake Powell to Page, Arizona. Weekend trail projects, based at the old Rainbow Lodge, will occur throughout the year. Navajo Moutain Summit Series - The highest spot on the rez - 10,388-foot Navajo Mountain - is such an amazing place to explore, that we have decided to do it four times this school year. We're planning to hike the mountain in the fall, snowshoe it in the winter, trail run it in spring and backpack it in the summer. We're hoping to have many groups joining the journey to the top of the rez, so let us know if you want to be part of a summit team. Paradise Loop Ride Benefit Mountain Bike A weekend of fine mountain biking in some of the most spectacular canyon country of northern Arizona and southern Utah is what you get on the Paradise Loop Ride. The fully-supported ride begins in Shonto, Arizona and covers a scenic route to Navajo Mountain, Utah where riders enjoy a taste of traditional cuisine in the shadows of the sacred Naatsisaan. The vistas over the weekend include the surrounding mesas and canyons, and a magical glimpse of Lake Powell upon the entry to Piute Canyon. The weekend will also include health education activities and screenings, nutritional tips that work and personal fitness strategies and stories from some of the adult riders. Youth will also learn some of the history of the area from the Long Walk period. AND THERE'S MORE: No Man's Land, the San Juans, Black Mesa, the Carrizos, MV, the Chuskas . . . . We do lots more mountain biking, hikes and overnighters in lots of other amazing places throughout the year, including the sites above! It's a big and amazing rez and we try to play in the whole neighborhood. Our exact schedule and itinerary for these places depends upon the interests and needs of the participating schools. We plan outings in new places all the time and are happy to work with schools to develop trips that serve their students best.
And now, for the details . . . . All of these outings require some major planning and preperation. If you want to do one of these trips, contact us early so we can plan appropriately with you. We like to meet with school staff and students at the school prior to embarking on one of these outings. On all of our outings, we ask that schools provide transportation and pay a modest $30 fee/student to cover some of the costs of the trip. Y.E.S. will provide backpacking equipment (backpacks, crampons, waterbottles, etc.), high-quality camping gear (including tents and sleeping bags), most food, permits, learning activities and trip guidance.
For more information or to your school involved, contact:
Y.E.S. has been sponsoring school outings to the Grand Canyon Music Festival each September since 1994, offering students a taste of world-class music at one of the planet's most spectacular venues. Our groups have the chance to meet with musicians, attend concerts, take part in hands-on nature activities and enjoy some hiking on and below the rim. The entire engaging weekend of activities make for an unforgettable learning experience for the students. If you would like to learn more about the Music Festival experience or want to set a date for your group this September, contact Y.E.S. Director Tom Riggenbach at chuskaman@yahoo.com. You can also visit the Festival's site at www.grandcanyonmusicfest.org |
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